Updated September 2026
Best Trucking Companies in Rhode Island (September 2026)
Through September 2026, 263 carriers in Rhode Island employ W2 company drivers across the lanes Lanefinder tracks. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads with an average weekly pay of $2,200. Covenant Transport Inc follows at $1,762/week. Rhode Island is the smallest state by area but sits directly on I-95 connecting Boston and Providence, with the Port of Providence handling bulk cargo and the Providence metro serving as a distribution point for southern New England.
What changed in September 2026
We just started tracking monthly changes for this view. Check back next month to see how rankings have shifted.
Where CDL pay is strongest in Rhode Island this month
The top of the list is JK MOVING & STORAGE INC at $2,200/week. A few names below the top earn more on a weekly-pay basis but rank lower on the composite.
#1JK MOVING & STORAGE INC — $2,200/wk
JK MOVING & STORAGE INC leads the Rhode Island market on combined pay and ranking score this month. Weekly pay here lands in the 94th percentile across Rhode Island. JK MOVING & STORAGE INC ranks in the 93rd percentile for unsafe-driving avoidance on FMCSA SAFER data.
#2Covenant Transport Inc — $1,762/wk
Covenant Transport Inc's FMCSA score is strongest on driver fitness — 99th percentile.
#3HandledNow LLC — $1,900/wk
HandledNow LLC's top FMCSA dimension is driver fitness, in the 98th percentile.
Also in the top 10: #4 PRAIRIE FIELD SERVICES LLC at $1,750/wk, #5 ROAD SCHOLAR TRANSPORTATION LLC at $2,000/wk, #6 GATEWAY DISTRIBUTION at $1,750/wk, #7 ABENAQUI CARRIERS at $1,750/wk, #8 PREMIER TRANSPORTATION at $1,700/wk, #9 Diaz Stone & Pallet Inc. at $1,750/wk, #10 JS HELWIG & SON LLC at $1,850/wk.
Lane mix and benefits across Rhode Island
19% of Rhode Island's active CDL postings are regional and 67% are OTR; local plus semi-local accounts for the rest (14%).
Across Rhode Island CDL postings: 2% with guaranteed pay, 29% dedicated, 67% take-truck-home, 56% pet-friendly, 58% riders-allowed.
Driving CDL in Rhode Island
Rhode Island is the smallest US state by area but sits directly on I-95 connecting Boston and Providence, putting it in the dense Northeast freight corridor. The Port of Providence handles bulk cargo (oil and aggregates especially). The Providence metro serves as a regional distribution point for southern New England. Cost of living is high; Rhode Island has a moderate graduated state income tax. The state's small geography means most regional drivers based here spend significant time in MA, CT, and NY — treat RI as an I-95 transit waypoint.
Related guides
- Best owner-operator companies in Rhode Island
- CDL driver salary in Rhode Island
- Best trucking companies in the United States
How we compile these rankings
Compensation is the largest single weight at 30% — pay percentile, sign-on bonus, guaranteed-pay availability, and settlement cadence. FMCSA safety contributes 25%, built from five SAFER dimensions with unsafe-driving and hours-of-service weighted 2× heavier. Benefits contribute 25%, scored separately for W2 versus owner-operator and 1099 carriers. Operational performance — application responsiveness and fleet scale — contributes 20%. Updated September 2026.